The Effects of Nitrate, Caffeine, and Cold Exposure on Cardiovascular Function.

Acute caffeine consumption and cold exposure elicit negative effects on the cardiovascular system. Humans are regularly exposed to such conditions of increased cardiovascular strain, which may lead to elevated chronic cardiovascular risk. On the other hand, dietary inorganic nitrate supplementation is well established to improve cardiovascular function in healthy individuals. Thus, acute nitrate supplementation may compensate for the negative effects that caffeine and the cold place on the cardiovascular system. These effects will be measured using peripheral blood pressure, pulse wave analysis, heart rate variability, forearm blood flow, flow mediated dilation, and blood and saliva markers.